The PDP’s prospects for victory in the 2023 presidential elections may be jeopardized by the actions of the Adekunle Akindele-led caretaker committee, according to several suspended PDP members in Osun State.
The members, who are from the state’s Ayedaade Local Government Area, were suspended for allegedly engaging in anti-party behavior.
They support Dotun Babayemi, the detained PDP leader from Osun.
Segun Odekunmi, the secretary of the PDP Elders Forum in the State, and seven other signatories warned of terrible implications if the Osun PDP conflict was not handled in a plea.
The petition which was titled, “Re:Complaints Against the Illegal Suspension of Party Leaders from Ayedaade Local Government of Osun State By the State Caretaker Committee, Pursuant to Articles 57 & 61 of Peoples Democratic Party’s Constitution of 2017(Amended)”, was forwarded to Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP national chairman and all members of the National Working Committee of the party.
“Our party has the chance of winning all the elections at the next general elections only in the atmosphere of unity and mutual respect for one another. We hope the National Working Committee of our party will timeously intervene to correct this anomaly in the interest of the party so that this untoward action will not consume our party in the forthcoming elections.
“We want to state clearly that the allegations were baseless and unfounded and cannot be substantiated with any material facts, by our traducers in the party. We say with all sense of responsibility that Prince Oyedotun Babayemi hails from our local government and we have a moral duty to support his ambition.
“Supporting Babayemi’s ambition never connoted anti-party. We have worked tirelessly and assiduously for the success of the party as we believed he would win at the law court.
“Suspending members of the party at a time the elections were drawing nearer is capable of creating doubts in the minds of PDP members and could adversely dim the chances of the party at the 2023 polls if not urgently addressed.”
Adelani Ajanaku, Kehinde Adesiyan, Mayowa Adegboye, Aliyu Adeyanju, Kamorudeen Ojo Elegunmeje, Ajayi Solomon, and Munurudeen Adekunle are the other signatories to the petition.
Dotun Babayemi, a factional Osun PDP candidate for governor, was dismissed from the organization for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities.
His expulsion came after he had been suspended by the PDP ward executive members in the State’s Ayedaade Local Government Area.